Eden
by Ringo Applewood
Summary: Akane thought his past with the Star Clan was gone, until his forgotten friend shows up. Ringo "Apple" Valentine just wanted to see Akane again, but when her feelings for him rekindle, her friends and family begin to fear for her safety. (AkanexOC; OCxOC; OCxClay)
1. Past Pie

Tusgumi took a while to notice the new daily customer at the café. She came in everyday, ordering the same thing every time, a pilaf with an iced tea. Meme pointed out that whenever she came around, Akane avoided going over to her area, and even sometimes hid away in the back or behind the bar with Master. Clay had no problem talking to her. He would often take her order, and talk with her, occasionally saying something to make her laugh. No one knew what she really looked like since she always wore a scarf and sun glasses. She would always place her order, and pull out a notepad, will with words that no one knew but her. Eventually she would leave, bowing and leaving a tip for the girls. One day, Clay got the courage to ask the girl her name. She stopped before walking out, looking at everyone in the café. She smiled.

"Ringo, my name is Ringo."

It was closing time and the girls had finished cleaning around the café. Clay and Akane had finished their work and were already prepared to leave. They all stood in the alley, waiting on Tusgumi to finished changing when there was an explosion. Everyone had ducked, only to feel nothing. A girl stood in front of them, with her arms out in front of her. She was wearing a red dress that hugged her hips and a brown colored blazer that was kept closed with a skinny black belt around her waist. She had brown boots that stopped in the middle of her half, each having an apple embroidered on the back heel. They all soon realized that it was Ringo, from the café. The scarf she wore was still neatly wrapped around her head and even her sun glasses were still in place, not even slightly lose from her head. She looked down and held out her hand to Tsugumi and Anya, who had her skirt torn in the process. Ringo reached to the top of her scarf and pulled out the pin that kept it in place. She knelt down and stuck it in the rip, making the two pieces join.

"If you pin it at the top of the rip, it won't get too bad and it's easier to repair. Is anyone else hurt?"

Clay looked up from Akane, who was still sitting on the ground. His glasses were broken and his hair was slightly tousled, but not enough to show is other eye. Clay was looking at his arm with a frown. The bone stuck out of his cream colored skin, staining it red with blood.

"It's pretty bad."

Ringo walked to where Akane was while undoing the scarf from her head. Long cream locks fell from the fabric that stopped at the belt on her waist. She knelt down, wrapping Akane's arm in her scarf. She took the belt from her waist and looped it around his wrist, making a sling for his arm by draping the belt around his neck and connecting it back to his arm. She soon took off the white blazer and draped it over his shoulders, tying the sleeves together in front of his chest and resting his arm in the small cradle.

Growling could be heard from the other end of the alley way. She moved and stood in front of the group. She stood in a fighting stance, as if she was going to fence. Her resonance began, and her body covered in a white aura. Tsugumi remembered seeing Maka and Soul doing the same thing. Upon looking at Ringo, she realized that she had no weapon.

"Clay."

She called his name and the blonde stood up. He transformed into his demon sword form, although slightly shorter than usual. The growling came again a swift wind passed and suddenly a girl with choppy long brown hair and green eyes was standing next to Ringo. Tsugumi thought she looked oddly familiar when she remembered that she had come inside with Ringo in the café before. She looked like a female teen version of the Professor Stein, with stiches all over her body. She wore an off shoulder blue and purple shirt, that looked like patches of each color were sewn together. She had a black sleeveless vest over it, along with black jeans that looked covered in stiches.

Another girl appeared, dropping down from the roof. She had fair skin and jet black hair that was cut in a boy-like fashion that contrasted her bright icy blue eyes. The right side of her face had vertical lined scars but it didn't seem to bother her that they showed. All three girls stood side by side. The one with brown hair seemed to be the tallest out of the group, making her seem a little awkward. Ringo let Clay return to his human form. The black haired girl looked back at the group with a small smile. She turned to Ringo.

"Shall we give them a show?"

Ringo shook her head. "One of them is injured. We have to get him out of here. Lia we need to get him to Stein."

The brown hair girl nodded and walked back to Akane.

"Come here, my little apple fairy."

A feminine voice echoed through the alley. Lia and the other girl froze. Clay turned and reached out a hand to Ringo, but she was already gone.

"Grandmother!" She ran through the alley.

"Ringo, wait! It's not her!" Clay cried out to her. A shrill scream filled the alley then silence. A moment later, Ringo flew into the wall, nearly shattering it completely. She got up shaking. The sun glasses had broken. She took them off, tossing them aside. Blood trickled from the left side of her face were a piece of the broken sunglass had cut into her face. She sighed, opening her eyes, showing semi glowing red eyes.

The black hair girl chuckled. "No mercy."

Liazi had an uneasy smile on her face. "Soryn, shouldn't we stop her? The beast already got away."

As soon as the words left Liazi's mouth, the beast appeared behind her.

"Stiches! Stiches! Stiches! Covered in stiches!" It shrieked.

Liazi froze. Ringo appeared in front of her, kicking the girl in the stomach and back into Soryn. Turning, Ringo's hand changed to a white blade, slicing the beast in the throat. Blood splattered on her face, clothes and hair. Her plain face soon turned to that of amusement.

"It's rude to point out a lady's flaws, especially when you're covered in your own."

With her fingers gathered, she pierced through its stomach. Blood came spewing out its mouth, drenching Ringo's hair and part of her dress. She smiled as she removed her hand, showing off the soul in it. The beast looked at her momentarily before vanishing.

"It's over."

The group was staring at her. Soryn walked passed with a stunned Liazi on her back.

"Did you have to knock her out? You know metal is freaking heavy Ringo." Soryn started to scold her.

Ringo shrugged. "She wouldn't have moved any other way. You know how sensitive she is about her stiches."

She turned and looked at the group. "Make sure Akane gets seen to. I'll have to report this to Lord Death."

Before she turned to leave, she handed the soul to Clay. "You keep it. Consider it an I'm sorry present. We'll talk more later, I promise."

She pecked his cheek and ran off after Soryn, who was headed back to the DWMA. The group stayed in the alley, shocked at what just transpired. Akane stood and Liz was checking Patty over for any harm. Anya was fretting over her torn skirt while Meme and Tsugumi watched amused.

"Who was she Clay? More like, who are they?" Akane asked the question that everyone had been thinking. They all stopped and looked at him.

"Liazi is an android created by Stein and the black haired girl is Soryn." He said gazing into the kishin soul he held in his hand. "And the other girl, Ringo Valentine, is my baby sister."

"You never said you had any siblings Clay." Akane looked at his partner skeptically.

"We can talk about it later. We need to get you to the nurse's office to fix your arm."

Akane nodded and the two boys left. The girls started walking home to the dorm, Anya trying not to rip her skirt further. Meme ended up carrying her the whole way, seeing as Tsugumi didn't have the strength to do so. That night, Tsugumi stayed up late. After seeing the way Ringo easily controlled her weapon form, Tsugumi felt as if she was weak. She should have been able to protect Akane from getting hurt. She could have killed the kishin if her weapon form wasn't so blunt. The young weapon sighed before turning off her night lamp and crawling into bed, her mind set on her resolve for the next day.


	2. Watch Dog

The next day at the café was quiet. The Master was in the back talking on the phone. A worried voice of a female was on the other end. He came back out with something scribbled on a napkin and gave it to Clay. Clay read it and nodded.

"We're all going to Ringo's today. She wanted to talk to us."

Everyone nodded. Akane was with Stein getting his arm repaired. Clay called him, informing his partner about where they were going after work. Akane claimed he would meet them on the way there.

They all headed out, everyone quiet on the way there. Akane soon met up with them, carrying a bag with him. They found their way to a white washed mansion with two white doors with a bright red apple on it. Clay rang the doorbell and waited. The doors creaked and they entered into what looked like a living room. They all walked in and stood in the empty room, only decorated with lavish cream colored couches and a white marble table.

"My furniture doesn't bite you know. You can sit on it."

Ringo was standing at the top of the stair case, wearing black shorts and a button up white shirt. Her hair was in a ponytail and she had on black suspenders. She came down the stairs in her socks that came a little past her knees. Stopping in front of Clay, she stood right at his shoulders. She had a blank face for a moment before looking up at him.

"Who said you could grow?" She asked, pulling him down by the ear. Clay winced bending down at the mercy of his ear. Ringo smiled and let him go.

Clay rubbed his ear. "It's nice to see you again, but why are you here?"

"Gee, I missed you too. Glad to see you're doing well. You always have to be to straight forward, except when you're trying to lie. You suck at lying." She frowned picking up a brush and sitting on the couch. She motioned them to do the same as she started brushing through her hair.

"We heard about your Traitor problem and we know it's the witch Shaula. We've ran into her sisters a couple times. We don't know exactly what they're all doing, but it defiantly isn't some sort of group project. All three of them are representatives of entities, like most witches are. Medusa is the snake while her older sister, Arachne is the spider and Shaula the scorpion. Shaula is the youngest after Medusa, and much like Medusa, she takes an interest in test subjects. The test subjects being your fellow NOT students and long with some of the staff. As of now, we don't know why she's doing what she's doing and we only know what I've said so far. As for the way she gains the control of the Traitors is the toxin as you know, but she has to have some sort of psychical contact with them at some point or she can use one of her Traitors to make more Traitors from those who aren't already infected." She paused and narrowed her eyes.

"Like your Eternal Feather friend. I remembered seeing her at the bazaar talking to a strange woman. She purchased a ring, but when I went to see Stein about it later, he said there wasn't one on her anywhere, not even in her bag. Shaula is a witch but she still has the impulses as a human teenager, meaning that she has flaws and she will slip up. She has attachments to things like jewelry and toys. Her version of the toys being the students she controls."

Clay ran his hand through his hair. "So basically she's controlling a mob of zombies."

"Exactly, but there is something off about Shaula, and we've never seen it in any of her sisters. She has a sort of glitch of you will. She does have a weakness but it isn't a sort of combat weakness, but I guess it can give us an advantage when we're ready to capture her."

Soryn came sliding in, wearing an oversized hoodie and white button-up dress shirt with a black tie. Her pants were black dress pants with a belt that had the DWMA skull on it. "Her biggest weakness, is music. She goes undercover sometimes by the name of Laula. We've spotted her at several concerts that we've had in the surrounding area. She's a big fan of Ringo's concerts." She smiled and slid off into the main hall, yelling about making phone calls.

"So we're going to hold one in Death City. That's why I've asked you all to come. We're going to have people in the crowd looking for her. I will personally invite her to the concert as a…special guest, but I'll have to invite regular people along with her to make sure there isn't any suspicion. I cleared it with Lord Death already and he says that it's okay. The concert won't be until two months from now, so we have to be careful until then. "

It was quiet for a moment. Ringo had stopped brushing her hair and Soryn had disappeared into another room. She stood, only to bow, making her perfectly brushed hair fall over her shoulders.

"I apologize if I had scared any of you in the alleyway the other day. I didn't mean for you to see me act like that."

Clay stood and patted her head. "You saved our skin. A little blood splatter isn't going to scare us away."

Ringo looked up and smiled. The others started to leave. Clay escorted Anya, Tsugumi and Meme home, leaving Akane behind. He held out a bag with his good arm.

"These are your clothes from the other day. I washed them for you." He avoided looking at her directly and instead focused on the floor. He felt the brush of her hand when she took the bag and he could still feel her gaze lingering on him.

"Ever since that day in the café, you haven't looked at me or much less spoken to me and you're always avoiding me."

She flinched when she saw him finally look at her. He stormed at her until her back was against a wall. Taking her chin in his hand, he glared into her eyes. She held no emotion. She wasn't even shaking. Her face remained calm and collected. He did this to Tsugumi the same way a few days ago. The poor girl was shaking so bad she couldn't speak much less attempt to get away from him.

"Why aren't you afraid of me? You know what I can do just as I know what you can do. I finished my training. You saw what I did to those people. You know what I'm capable of and yet you can stand here and look at me just like we're friends? Everything isn't like it used to be." He tried to stop the trembling in his voice.

"You shouldn't talk to your superiors like that Red Star."

Liazi's voice came from the doorway. She was standing there with her arms leaning in the doorway. Akane backed off, putting his glasses back on his face. He kept his calm composer, but both girls saw the surprise on his face when Liazi called him by his clan name. A purple haired girl came in behind Liazi. She was about the same height as her. Her eyes were an electric blue as she scanned the room. Her sight locked on Ringo for a moment. She bowed, surprising everyone in the room.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Madam White Star. My name is Yumi and I'll be Liazi's weapon from now on." She spoke in a light hearted tone, seeming unafraid as she stood with the two most deadliest people in the room.

Ringo looked at the girl for a second before looking to Liazi who simply shrugged. "Stein said we are compatible. He told me just to try it and see what happens. Besides, she's shiny."

Yumi had smiled. Ringo looked at the girl skeptically then returned the over formal bow. "Ringo Valentine, at your service my lady."

Liazi rolled her eyes and led Yumi towards her section of the house. Ringo watched them leave only to see Akane staring wide eyed at her.

"You're the new White Star?" He felt his voice shake. Ringo looked at him, her expression sorrowful. She nodded.

"When we became separated after the second stage of our training, they took me Sri Lanka then to Japan. As always they beat the training into you until you force it back on them, then they let you go. They keep an eye on you to see how you do. They used to keep a very close eye on you Akane. After my star was achieved, they let me go. They didn't tell me what to do or where to go. I found Soryn and Liazi and came here after hearing about your traitor issue. And that's that."

Akane turned to leave. Ringo bit into her lip, walking back towards her side of the house. She stopped, not wanting to look back, but also wanting to see if he was still there. Without thinking, she ran into her room not daring to glance back at Akane, who silently watched from afar.


	3. Watch Me

Clay's eyes were drooping in the middle of class. He had grown tired between hunting the witch Shaula and trying to keep up with his school work. Akane never attended these types of classes with him, no matter how many times Clay pushed the subject. Today must have been a special day because Akane actually came, and without much pressure from Clay. It's not like they needed the classes but they did have to blend in. However, Clay did notice his partner acting strangely. He noted that Akane had missed out on a couple days of work as well. Ringo still showed up to the café, ordering the same thing as she always did. She had even taken Tsugumi to training with her after the young weapon insisted on becoming stronger to help Anya and Meme.

"We have two new transfer students today class. Please make them feel welcome among our ranks at the DWMA."

Clay looked up from his desk at the teacher's announcement, only to groan at the sight before him. Ringo and Soryn were all standing in the front of the class room. Clay felt Akane tense beside him. He was staring at the sight before him. Soryn was wearing the same outfit they saw her in yesterday during their visit. Clay felt a smile pass his lips as he looked at the raven haired girl. She looked just as bored as he was and she had just gotten there. Clay followed his meister's line of vision to notice he was contently staring at Ringo. She was wearing something different from what she had on when they visited. She had a black shirt that hugged her form with pants to match along with a red colored belt. The most notable thing about her attire was the red. She was wearing something that almost looked like top half of a jacket. It had long tight sleeves that she wore down to her wrists and stopped in the middle of her ribs. The zipper of it was only a little below her collar bone, leaving the collar of it to lay flat. She wore black calf high boots that had the DWMA emblem on the sides with the whole thing. Clay thought she looked strange. She wasn't the small orchard girl he grew up with anymore.

The girls bowed, Ringo's ponytail falling over her shoulder. Clay rolled his eyes as he looked at all the students gawking at the two. The bell rung for the class to be dismissed and suddenly Ringo and Soryn became surrounded with people. Soryn nearly dove behind her friend as the students pounced. Ringo kept a calm smile and answered all their questions and noted on their comments. Clay watched as Soryn scowled at all the strangers who spoke to Ringo. When she was addressed, Ringo simply answered for her.

"I'm sorry, but my brother is waiting for me and my friend over there. You are all welcome to watch the battle later." She smiled and waved at the crowed of students and walked over to Clay, Soryn not missing a step behind her.

"What battle?" Clay questioned when the girls caught their breath.

Ringo looked up. "I was informed that every NOT student has the choice to battle with the top EAT students on their first day. They say you keep going until you can't go anymore, but most NOT students barely make it past the first man. I thought it sounded like fun so I accepted. Is it something bad? Lord Death said I should blend in as much as possible with the other NOT students. Shaula wouldn't come out if I was an EAT student."

Clay nodded realizing that she had a point. Shaula had only been attacking the NOT students. "Do you know who you'll be facing first?"

Ringo shrugged. "No clue. It's about to start, you should come watch!"

"Remember Ringo, you can't go all out or you'll blow your cover." Soryn warned. Clay caught the concern in the girl's voice for her friend.

Ringo simply rolled her eyes and hooked her arm through Soryn's. "I'm always careful!"

Soryn looked at her friend with a raised brow. Ringo giggled and smiled. "Okay maybe not always. But I promise to try!"

Ringo proceeded to drag the pair down the hall. Clay noticed that his meister was nowhere to be seen but shrugged it off. They got to the entrance of the school and saw that almost half the school was gathered there, along with some of the administrative staff. Clay noticed that most of the students were all NOT students. Ringo waved as Liazi and her new partner, Yumi approached. The two girls smiled as Ringo made her way to the center of the students.

"Aren't you going to join her in battle as well Soryn?" Liazi questioned.

Soryn shook her head. "I'm not about to get this outfit dirty fighting some idiot, besides Ringo looks like she's having more fun here than either of us."

Clay chuckled. "Well this is her first time attending a school like this. We were homeschooled for the first part of our lives. After she left for her special training thing or whatever, I started going to public school and then I found out I was a weapon and came here. I guess she would see it as more of a game."

Soryn snorted, making some of her bangs move from her face. "Game? If she could go all out, I would feel sorry for the students she has to face."

Liazi smiled. "I still feel some sympathy for her first opponent. First she'll be facing that boy who thinks he's the god of lighting. Poor soul, he has what you call a crush on Ringo and yet he was picked to challenge her."

Yumi started to laugh. "Poor Ox! He's gonna get creamed!"

"Her second opponent will be the daughter of Lord Death's own Deathscythe, Maka Alburn. Yes, Ringo will practically claw through the bald one but I do recommend that we watch her fight with the scythe meister. But let's move closer, I wanna see the bald one get put in his place." Lia grinned.

Liazi and Soryn started to laugh. Clay watched as the figure of Ox entered the ring across from Ringo. The group moved closer to the front to get a better view of the oncoming beat down. Ringo was staring straight ahead. She didn't flinch as the starting bell sounded. Ox had only stood a couple of feet away from her, waiting on her to move, but she remained still. He finally moved first after an encouraging shout from a fellow student. He charged at her, Harver aimed at her shoulder. Ringo smiled sweetly as she grabbed hold of Harver and launched Ox into the air. He landed on his back, knocking the air out his chest. Ringo spun Harver in her hand and pinned Ox's shirt to the ground with the blade.

"If you're going to fight me, be serious about it. Your form was sloppy and you had many direct openings. I could have very well killed you without even trying. "

Ox's eyes widened as Ringo pointed out his flaws. Ringo moved away from him and waited again. Clay chuckled at the bored look on her face. The girl Liazi was talking about entered the ring with a snowy haired boy following behind her. Soryn made a sort of choking sound, making the group look at her.

"So that's who the scythe boy is. Look Lia, its Wes's kid brother!" Soryn exclaimed pointing at the white haired boy.

Clay remembered seeing the pair before and researching them for back ground information. "His name is Soul Evans, but he goes by Soul Eater. His family is famous for musicians. Wait, how do you two know Wes?"

Soryn glanced up at Clay. "He's Ringo's boyfriend."

Clay snorted. The group turned their attention back to ring. Maka was standing ready with Soul's weapon form in her hands. Ringo still stood in the same spot, unmoving. Maka charged at her, stabbing the end of Soul towards her head. Ringo dodged easily, bobbing and weaving to the sides.

"She's pushing her back. What is Ringo doing out there?" Lia grunted out.

"She's waiting." Yumi answered.

They all looked at her in question. She smiled softly. "Ringo is waiting until Maka gets tired. They're both small girls in stature, but since Maka is wielding Soul, more of her energy is being used. If it was hand to hand combat, then they could be going at it for days. I entered the Academy the same day as Maka, but I could never find a compatible partner. Maka and Soul have a very close connection to each other as weapon and meister and that shows on the battle field. From what I understand, her mother made her father a Deathscythe at a young age. They were like a power couple. Maka is trying to be like her mother in that way so she trains hard as well as working hard."

Yumi had stopped to take a breath to continue her evaluation, when a loud shout was heard from the top of the building.

"Yahhooo!"

"The fuck is that?" Soryn pointed to the tip of one of the spikes that protruded from the building. A blue haired kid came flying off of it. He aimed for the two girls in the middle. Both backed away, making him miss.

"Move it Black Star! You're in the way!" Maka scolded him

Ringo smiled. "No worries Miss. Alburn. The more the merrier."

"At least draw your weapon so I won't feel too bad about beating you!" Black Star continued shouting. Ringo looked at him blankly before smiling once again.

Soryn chuckled, knowing Ringo all too well. She knew her friend had grown bored with holding back like she had instructed. She watched at Ringo glanced in her general direction. Soryn saw Liazi nod beside her and did the same. Another smile found its way to Ringo's face, this one different from her usual smile. Ringo stood straight. The ring of student watched as she bit into her hand, enough to draw blood. Black Star looked at her with a bored expression while Maka's eyes grew wide. She looked at Lord Death for guidance, only to get a thumb up in encouragement from the god of death.

"Which do you think it'll be this time Lia? I'm going for Calcifer. I like him." Soryn was looking at the battlefield with a new excitement.

"Calcifer? Who's that?" Clay questioned the girls.

Soryn huffed. "What do you know about Ringo?"

A chuckle came from Liazi. "Give him a break Lia. He hasn't seen her for years. Calcifer is one of her weapons. Ringo can summon demon weapons that she has contracts with. I think she has five so far. There's Calcifer, Bone and Ashe who are twins, Ipeir, Ghost and Cheshire. Each has their own special talent and specialty."

Liazi grinned and elbowed Soryn gently. "Soryn only likes Calcifer because he's a fire demon."

"Hey, it's more than the fire that's hot." Soryn grinned back at her friend. Both girls started to giggle. Clay shook his head and turned back to the fight.

Ringo had let the blood from her hand drip to the ground. The light was almost instant as the final drop hit the ground. The area filled with a light dust. Two figures stood at Ringo's side, each no taller than children, both of them boys. One had snowy hair and the other had hair as dark as charcoal. Both boys had eyes of gold that seemed to shimmer in mischief. They shimmered, and the light flowed into Ringo's hands forming daggers. The one in her right hand had a white blade while the one in her other hand was black. Ringo had opened her own eyes to show that they too had changed. They now match the boys. Her playful manor seemed to vanish. She took a few experimental steps forward, the tip of her ponytail swaying at her waist as she did. Once satisfied, she smiled her usual sweet smile.

Soryn and Liazi shifted in their spots, both with anxious looks. Clay was utterly confused, but continued to keep quiet and tried to understand. A weary presence crept on him from behind and he realized his meister was approaching. Akane stood beside Clay and scanned the area. His eyes widened when he saw Ringo standing in the ring of students. He shifted his glasses on his face. Clay noted the uneasy feeling his partner was giving off. It was as if he was trying to stare the girl down. Clay made a mental note to talk to Akane about his recent behavior at a later time. He turned his attention back to the Ringo and her fight. She had raised her obsidian blade directly at Black Star, challenging him.

"You interrupted my battle with Miss. Alburn." Her tone was blunt. Clay was surprised. Never before had he heard her be so direct with that tone of voice towards anyone. Even when she was mad as a child, she was always polite about it.

Soryn had raised a brow. "She's a bit peeved."

Clay looked at her. Soryn shook her head. "She battles like person of tradition. You wait your turn your ass kicked. She's mad that Black Star interrupted her thing with Maka. She won't even worry about her and Maka's battle anymore. Now it's about Black Star."

Black Star's shouting caught the crowd's attention. He struck at Ringo repeatedly and wildly, not really taking aim. She blocked each one, keeping a straight face, which only pushed Black Star further.

"Hit me!" He ordered.

Ringo grinned. "With pleasure."

She drove the hilt of one of her blades into his gut, pushing him back. He held were she had hit him, as if he were surprised she actually complied with his demand. Before he could fully look up, she was already bringing the ends of her daggers down. He turned sharply and grabbed her wrist, making her twist under the pressure. She yelled in pain and a loud snapping sound filled the area. She aimed to kick him to make him release her hand. He whirled around her and grabbed her by the neck, making her drop her daggers. She gasped for air, clawing at his hand.

"Black Star that's enough!" A girl with dark hair had come from the crowd. Her face was filled with fury. Black Star grunted and flung Ringo. The boys transformed back and ran to their fallen partner. Ringo sat up and smiled at the boys. She looked at Black Star and smiled when she saw the stars in his eyes. She didn't falter when she stood again.

"Why don't you just stay down where you belong? You could never defeat a god like me." Black Star was glaring at Ringo.

"Ringo you can stop now." Lord Death announced.

Ringo shook her head and looked to her weapons. Both of them were staring at her with worry and concern. She smiled.

"You may go. Thank you." She dismissed them. Both of them looked at her worriedly.

Ringo smiled and pat their heads. "Don't worry boys, I'll be fine."

They nodded and disappeared. Ringo got into a stance, her left wrist looking awkward in its bent position, already starting to swell. In an instant she was gone and in front of Black Star. Soryn was about to lurch forward when she saw the stars in Ringo's eyes. Liazi stopped her.

"If we try to stop her, we might blow her cover. The witch could be watching as well. Remember, we want her to take notice of Ringo or you. She was probably counting on Ringo to take the challenge." Liazi warned, making the raven haired girl go on edge.

Using her good hand, Ringo delivered an uppercut into his jaw, feeling satisfied with the crunch under her knuckles. She used the loss of his balance to her advantage, taking him by his scarf; she pulled him forward, slamming her forehead into his. With the last of her strength, she launched him across the clearing. Blood ran clear down her face from the spot she headbutt him in. Ringo started to sway, her vision becoming clouded. Soryn and Liazi rushed from the crowd to their friend. Ringo fell forward in Liazi's arms.

"Take me home. I'm hungry." She complained. Before either girl could respond, the crowd erupted in cheering and shouting. Ringo quickly held her head at the sudden noise. Clay walked over with a smile.

"Congrats Ringo. You just beat one of the top kids in this place, although I think a headbutt is considered illegal."

Ringo huffed. "He twisted my wrist. I should have cut his head off."

Liazi had moved Ringo to her back as they started walking. Ringo had fallen asleep on their way home. Soryn watched as Liazi moved their friend into her room. Liazi bandaged the few scratches Ringo had along with fixing her wrist. When she came out, Soryn was waiting on the couch.

"She was close to snapping today. We have to watch her more closely." Liazi murmured to which Soryn only nodded.

"Because heaven forbid she enters her star mode uncontrolled." Soryn huffed out. She lay out on the couch, stretching her limbs as she did, smiling when she felt her joints pop.

"Sometimes I think you are more feline than human." Liazi remarked.

Soryn smirked. "Meow." She rolled over and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep.


End file.
